Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) ensures the quality of Americans' drinking water. Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the states, localities, and water suppliers who implement those standards.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) is authorized under the SDWA to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants. US EPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met.
Water systems must use EPA-approved analytical methods when analyzing samples to meet federal monitoring requirements or to demonstrate compliance with drinking water regulations. Approved methods are listed in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Parts 141 - 143. Approved methods are developed by EPA, other government agencies, universities, consensus methods organizations, water laboratories, and instrument manufacturers.
Laboratories must be certified by EPA or the State to analyze drinking water samples for compliance monitoring.
Have additional questions? We can help!
EPA Approved Methods for the Analysis of Multiple Metals in Drinking Water
EPA approved Methods for Anions in Drinking Water
| Anions | Method | Instrumental Technique | Shimadzu Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyanide | Standard Methods 4500 CN | Manual Spectrophotometry | UV-1900i Plus |
| Nitrate | Standard Methods 4500 NO3 | Manual Spectrophotometry | UV-1900i Plus |
| Nitrite | Standard Methods 4500 NO2 | Manual Spectrophotometry | UV-1900i Plus |
| Phosphate | Standard Methods 4500 P | Manual Spectrophotometry | UV-1900i Plus |
| Sulfate | Standard Methods 4500 SO4 | Manual Spectrophotometry | UV-1900i Plus |
| Inorganic Anions | EPA 300.0 | Ion Chromatography | Nexera IC |
| EPA 300.1 | Ion Chromatography | Nexera IC | |
| Cations | ASTM D6919 | Ion Chromatography | Nexera IC |
EPA Approved Methods for Organics in Drinking Water
| Contaminant Group | Method | Instrumental Technique | Shimadzu Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volatiles | EPA 524.2 | Purge & Trap GCMS (original method - no flexibility allowed) |
GCMS-QP2020 NX with EST |
| EPA 524.3 | Purge & Trap GCMS (flexibility allowed, SIM allowed, requires sample cooling) |
GCMS-QP2020 NX with EST | |
| EPA 524.4 | Purge & Trap GCMS (Nitrogen as purge gas, flexibility allowed, SIM allowed, requires sample cooling) |
GCMS-QP2020 NX with EST | |
| 1,4-Dioxane | EPA 522 | Liquid-Solid Extraction Direct Injection GCMS | GCMS-QP2050 or GCMS-QP2020 NX |
| Semi volatiles | EPA 525.2 | Liquid-Solid Extraction Direct Injection GCMS | GCMS-QP2050 or GCMS-QP2020 NX |
| EPA 525.3 | SPE Direct Injection GCMS (SIM and some flexibility allowed) | GCMS-QP2050 or GCMS-QP2020 NX | |
| Organochlorine Pesticides and PCBs | EPA 508 | Liquid-Liquid Extraction Direct Injection GC with ECD | GC-2030 |
| EPA 508A | Liquid-Liquid Extraction Direct Injection GC with ECD | GC-2030 | |
| EPA 508.1 | Liquid-Solid Extraction Direct Injection GC with ECD | GC-2030 | |
| Organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides | EPA 507 | Liquid-Liquid Extraction Direct Injection GC with NPD | GC-2030 |
| Triazine pesticides | EPA 536 | HPLCMSMS | LCMS-TQ RX Series |
| EPA 523 | Liquid-Solid Extraction GCMS | GCMS-QP2050 | |
| Chlorinated Acids (Herbicides) | EPA 515.4 | Liquid-Liquid Extraction, Derivatization and GC with ECD | GC-2030 |
| Haloacetic Acids and Dalapon | EPA 552.3 | Liquid-Liquid Extraction, Derivatization and GC with ECD | GC-2030 |
| EPA 557 | Ion Chromatography ESI MSMS | LCMS-TQ RX Series | |
| Glyphosate | EPA 547 | Direct Injection HPLC, Post Column Derivatization, and Fluorescence Detection | LC-40 HPLC System |
| Hormones | EPA 539 | SPE HPLCMSMS | LCMS-TQ RX Series |
Disinfection Byproducts Monitoring
| Contaminant of Concern | Method | Shimadzu Instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Total Organic Carbon (TOC) | Standard Methods 5310B | TOC-L |